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STORY: U.S. Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Beijing on Wednesday (December 4), where he is expected to discuss China's new air defense zone with its leaders.
Biden is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vice President Li Yuanchao.
Beijing's decision to declare an air defence identification zone in an area that includes disputed islands has triggered protests from the United States, Japan and South Korea and dominated Biden's talks in Tokyo on Tuesday (December 3).
In Tokyo, Biden called on Japan and China to find ways to reduce tensions, repeating Washington was "deeply concerned" by Beijing's November 23 announcement of the zone.
The United States has made clear it will stand by treaty obligations that require it to defend the Japanese-controlled islands, but it is also reluctant to get dragged into any military clash between rivals Japan and China.